Gratitude
by Akitsuki Akira
Summary: Here was something that was breakable as it was lovely. {Day One of SasuSaku Month}


"Gratitude"  
(Day One of SasuSaku Month.)

"That's stupid."

"Don't you dare mock me, Uchiha!"

Sasuke sighed for the umpteenth time, resisting the urge to facepalm and instead tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack. The annoying woman had insisted that the reunion of their high school class would be held in a famous mountain range near Konoha, and because the two of them were the class president and vice-president, it was agreed that they would settle things before the event. He didn't have a problem with it though; Sakura was probably the only girl in class who didn't fawn over him, so they were currently trekking towards the hotel their batch would be staying in since they've reached the limit where their car could pass.

The problem was, Sakura apparently forgot to tell him that she was bloody _acrophobic_, so of course they were running a bit late on their appointment with the hotel manager.

Seeing the pinkette trying hard not to look at the thousand foot drop four meters away from the trail they were using would be amusing to see (Sakura was one of those women who didn't need anyone to tell them they were capable, and dare he say it, he admired her for it), but they had an appointment to keep and if there was anything his father taught him, it was that he should _never_ keep someone waiting.

Sakura could only gasp when the hand she was using to brace herself on the side of the mountain was caught in a strong but gentle hold, and with startled green eyes, she gave the former class president a look. "Sasuke-kun?"

"Hold on." Sasuke grunted, holding her hand the way he himself held his brother's hand years and years ago, back when everything was much simpler.

She didn't comment further, and for that Sasuke was thankful. He wouldn't know how to explain why he held her hand on impulse, as if holding the limb would make her fear of heights disappear. When he thought about it more as the both of them trudged quietly towards the summit, Sasuke just wanted her to know that he was with her, and that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.

Taking responsibility was something that Sasuke grew up with, being the son of the head of the Uchiha Corporations, and later being the head himself just after high school graduation because of the accident which killed his family. Responsibility was thrust upon him by birth and by necessity, and even though it was taxing and stressful and downright _annoying_, he exalted upon it.

The matter of taking responsibility of his wayward former vice-president was the same thing. He was, after all, the class president, and it was his duty to make sure that everything in the reunion turned out alright in the end. He would be damned if he would let something simple and petty like acrophobia ruin it.

"You're brooding." Sakura's voice said behind him, and he didn't bother to look at her.

"Aa."

"Jeez." He could almost _feel_ her pout, and he fought down a smirk. "And here I am about to thank you."

"I didn't do anything." Was his automatic response. Really, taking responsibility was almost second nature to him.

Sakura scoffed, before giving his hand a light squeeze to prove her point. "You do more than you think."

This brought him to a halt, and Sakura crashed head first on his back at his sudden stop. Her protest went unheard though, because Sasuke was too busy processing what she said.

_You do more than you think._

In all of his life of taking responsibilities, Sasuke never had anyone _thanking_ him for it. It was something that was anticipated of him, as an Uchiha, so people always had high expectations of him. His parents did, his brother did, his company did; everyone held him in such high regard that whenever he did something right, it went unnoticed.

Being thanked for something he did was so surreal that Sasuke, for the first time in his life, didn't know what to say.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura tugged at the hand holding hers, making his eyes drop down to stare at it. The hand he was holding was calloused from years of hard work, and with a start, Sasuke remembered that Haruno Sakura didn't come from an influential family. She had strived to get a scholarship to enter the best school in Konoha, because her dream was to be apprenticed to the best doctor in the country and Tsunade Senju herself had been an alumnus of the school. Unlike Sasuke, who had everything handed to him in a silver platter, Sakura had to work hard to get to where she was now.

As Sasuke stared at their entwined hands, he thought that here was something that was breakable as it was lovely.

Sakura's protest was suddenly lodged somewhere in her throat when Uchiha Sasuke, in a move so unlike him, laced their hands together and tugged her closer to him. They were so close that their chest brushed with every breathe they took, and she could only stare at Sasuke when the one she'd been crushing on since forever (like she'd ever tell that to him) actually _smiled_ at her, an honest to goodness smile that made his lips quirk at the sides and a hidden dimple - a _dimple_! - appear on his right cheek.

And when he raised the hand he was holding, his eyes still holding hers captive, Uchiha Sasuke kissed the back of her hand – it was all Sakura could do to keep her consciousness intact.

"Hn." Sasuke smirked at the dazed look on her green eyes. In the back of his mind, he asked himself why he only noticed her now, and that he should make up for lost time. "You're welcome."

* * *

Welcome, July! Welcome, SasuSaku Month!

Even though I've never posted a story in the Naruto universe, I feel it necessary to point out that SasuSaku was the first OTP I ever had. It will always be my number one, and it will always hold a place in my heart, haters be damned.

I'm going to do something I've never attempted before, though. As my homage to my OTP of OTP's, I will be posting one prompt each day, from July 1 to July 31st, each in accordance to the theme assigned to it. Out of all thirty-one days though, I'm missing the last ten days, so I hope I can accomplish this task.

(I have the nasty tendency to loose interest easily and abandon my projects. For example, I have never completed a multi-chaptered story, the reason why I always favor oneshots.)

I hope you enjoyed my take on Day One. Always willing for your kind (and criticizing) reviews!

[Day One: Holding Hands]


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